NFL Draft 2018: Three needs the Jets must fill

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan talks to the media about the upcoming NFL Draft during a news conference at the Atlantic Health Training Center in Florham Park on 04/23/18.
Mitsu Yasukawa/Northjersey.com

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan talks to the media about the upcoming NFL Draft during a news conference at the Atlantic Health Training Center in Florham Park on 04/23/18.(Photo: Mitsu Yasukawa/Northjersey.com)

General manager Mike Maccagnan is about to preside over his fourth draft with the Jets. And there's no doubt that this is the most important one.

The Jets are coming off of back-to-back 5-11 seasons and haven't made the playoffs since 2010 -- tied for the second-longest active drought in the league. Maccagnan must balance finding players that fill needs and can help now, along with setting the team up for the future.

So with that in mind, here are three areas of need the Jets must address during this week's draft.

1. Quarterback

This is about as obvious as it gets, but the Jets need a quarterback. Badly. Sure, they did some nice things in free agency adding Teddy Bridgewater and bringing back Josh McCown. But McCown will be 39 at the start of next season and Bridgewater is coming off a devastating knee injury. The Jets cannot let this offseason end without them securing a potential franchise quarterback of the future.

It's almost a mortal lock that they will draft a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick. But will Maccagnan get it right?

2.Pass rusher

Just two years ago, the Jets defensive line was regarded as the top unit on the team. The Jets had former Pro Bowlers in Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson and a rising star in Leonard Williams. Well, both Richardson and Wilkerson are gone and Williams has yet to blossom into a dominant force.

The Jets need to add a pass rusher -- on the interior or the edge -- for two main reasons. Todd Bowles' defense needs to put pressure on the quarterback to be at its most effective. And adding a pass rusher will prevent defenses from focusing solely on Williams. Expect the Jets to target a pass rusher in the third or fourth round.

3. Offensive line

Yes, the Jets added some offensive line help this offseason when they signed former Redskins center Spencer Long and former Lions center Travis Swanson. Both are versatile and have the capability to be starters. But neither are locks. And so the Jets would be wise to add more depth across their offensive line in the draft, including a player who could compete for Swanson and Long for the starting center job.

This is a position of need the Jets could fill at any point in the draft. They could go for a higher caliber guy in round three or four, or they could try to find someone for good value late in the draft. Either way, the Jets must do something to bolster their offensive line.